Striding into the Night
by NooShoak
Summary: Herein lies the story of one of my character's First Change, and the journies that followed. The tale of a young Garou entering a world he could never have imagined.


A/N: Hey there! I decided to post this: it's the backstory for one of my Characters. Truthfully, this story grew out of a prompt in my Fiction Writing class. It was also a nice change for what I usually write. In any case, I hope you like it!

Discliamer: I don't own Werewolf: the Apocalypse, or any locations mentioned in this story. I only own my Characters.

* * *

Striding into the Night

The Change

Some people swore that the old house on the hill was haunted. I always had an odd interest in such things. Maybe that's why no one else ever hung out with me. As such, I decided to find out the truth for myself, and, as summer dawned and classes had let out for the summer, I set out to investigate the old house alone. I grabbed my backpack, filled it with supplies, and set out. Soon, I reached the house in question. It was an old manor, one which was likely quite grand in the past, it's grand façade of some of the older buildings on campus. Now, though, it was run-down and seemed to almost exude a sense of malice.

I steeled my nerves, pulled out my flashlight and digital camera, and pushed open the creaky old door. Inside, the house was quiet, everything coated in miles of cobwebs and a thick strata to dust. As I wandered into the house, I noticed the odd, inhuman footprints cutting through the dust. I wasn't alone. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and my instincts were shouting at me to get out of there, but my curiosity pushed me to move forwards. I followed the tracks through the halls and down the stairs, to the basement. Here, I noticed that someone had been maintaining this area, as it was free of dust. I then heard some noise coming from further ahead. I tracked the sound to its source: another set of stairs, descending to a sub-basement. At the bottom of the stairs, there was a light spilling from the door which was slightly ajar.

I crept down the steps, and peered into the room beyond. What I saw was beyond belief: there were several vaguely human creatures with warty, green, toad-like skin, standing around a sickly green fire. Behind them, I could see a rough cut passage twisting deeper into the earth. Also present was something even more shocking, something straight out of a monster movie: werewolves! They stood about nine feet tall, with vicious-looking fangs as well as equally nasty claws. There was something particularly off-putting about these creatures: each one of them appeared to be deformed or mutated in some way, and their eyes held not just intelligence, but also madness.

Even more shocking to me than this was the fact that I was still standing there: I knew there was no way I could fight these things, nor could I likely outrun them. Behind the collection of monsters, I could see a rough-cut tunnel lead deeper into the earth. Putting my curiosity aside, I decided that I'd done enough investigating for the night. I turned to leave, and was nearly to the steps back up to the first floor when I saw someone coming _down_. There was nowhere I could go, nowhere I could hide. The person on the stairs reached the basement, and immediately spotted me. The person was not pleasant to look at: greasy, pallid skin, sunken eyes, and nasty-looking lesions all over his skin. When he spotted me, he grinned evilly.

"Well, well," said the man in a sly, cruel voice, "what have we here?"

I was dumbstruck… I needed an escape route, and now!

"Hey boys!" called the man, "we've got some fresh meat here!"

There was a flurry of activity behind me, signaling the arrival of the creatures from the lower basement. I was now in even _more_ trouble, but I spotted an escape route: a small window, which would let me out onto the manor's grounds. I turned to make a break for it, but my fight was halted by the strong, clawed hand of one of the werewolves.

"…And just where do you think you're going?" said the man, "Come now, our master awaits you in the Shattered Labyrinth".

"Let go of me!" I shouted, "Let… go… of… ME!"

As I said this, I felt a powerful primal energy flowing through me. I wasn't sure what was happening, but it felt_ right_. The power suffused every fiber of my being. In my mind's eye, I saw a wolf— no, it was a jackal, its coat a handsome slivery color— running through the desert sands, then coming to the edge of a massive dune. There, in the dark, cloudless night I saw the crescent moon, hanging like a pale sliver of silver against the distant stars. For a moment, I swore I could _feel_ the wind-driven sand streaming past me. This was then torn away, leaving me with a great sense of loss… and tempered rage.

I channeled this rage, and felt the Change overtake me. With a savage snarl, my hands and feet morphed into paws, but my hands still were formed for grasping. Sharp claws emerged from the end of each digit, and my body began to grow. A loud ripping sound signaled my overtaxed clothing tearing apart, and I felt the new strength flowing through me. I felt wonderful… it felt _good_. The next thing I could clearly make out, I was eye-level with the ones who had been holding me. I inhaled through my now much more sensitive nostrils, and took a whiff of my surroundings— everything smelled wrong, corrupt, and above all— _tainted_.

My instincts told me to destroy the taint… unfortunately for those before me, they happen to be the nearest source of this taint. I allowed my instincts guide me. I watched as the pallid man who'd come down the stairs transformed as well, revealing he was another of these ugly werewolves. I tore my way through them with my new claws, leaping back from my foes and dodging their claws and fangs, which I saw were dripping with toxic-looking sludge. Soon enough, I'd mostly taken them down, except for the one which ran for a quarter-sized hole in the wall, and somehow disgustingly contorted its body to squeeze through.

Putting this strange event aside, I grabbed my backpack from where it had fallen, and bounded up the stairs and reached the main house. As I moved through the manor again, I found an ornate wall-length mirror and wiped away the dust, and took a look and my new form. I was nine feet tall, with a jackal-like head, powerful claws, and covered in silvery fur. Like those who had attacked me, I was a werewolf, albeit a far more handsome looking one than those I'd just fought. I almost looked like a statue of Anubis brought to life. As I stared into the mirror, I felt like something was trying to suck me in, so I quickly tore my eyes away. I hurried out of the house, and onto the grounds. In the distance, I could see the lights of Portland… I turned away from the city, and into the woods.

As the woods thickened, my adrenaline began to wear off. I realized what had truly occurred. I was a werewolf… a _monster_. I didn't think there was any way to go back to my old life, not like this. I slumped against a thick tree, and tried to figure out what I could do. It was then that a new odor entered my nose: it was somewhat unnaturally clean smell, but lacked the strong taint from before. From the trees near me, a man in a t-shirt and jeans, wearing a necklace with a pendant shaped like a ladder, stepped into view. I raised my hackles again, but the man put his hands out in a placating manner.

"Whoa, down boy," said the man, "I'm not going to hurt you".

I cocked my head to the side, and calmed slightly.

"Let me guess… first time?" said the man, tossing a bundle of clothes at my feet, "look: just calm you mind, and focus on making yourself human again".

I tried as the man suggested and did my best to relax, taking several deep breaths. After a few false starts, I felt my body changing back to my original form. I quickly put on the slightly baggy clothes; seeing as my previous outfit had been destroyed in the change, and turned to face him.

"Who are you?" I asked, "What in the world is going on here?"

"My name is Steven Data-Runner," he said, "You've just experienced your First Change".

"My… what?" I asked.

"Your First Change," said Steven, "you see; you are a Garou, a werewolf, as am I".

When Steven said 'Garou', I felt something click inside my mind, as if I was remembering something long forgotten.

"But… I don't remember being bitten by the ones back in the manor," I said, "How is this possible?"

"Bitten? Heh, that's a good one!" said Steven, who then caught my expression "Wait, you mean people still believe that tripe about being bitten? Nah, our gifts aren't some weird disease. Truth is, you were _born_ with these powers: they were just waiting for the right time to come out".

"Oh, I see," I said, still slightly confused but doing my best to understand, "But… why were those werewolves in the manor attacking me?"

"What did they look like?" asked Steven cautiously.

"Hmm… grayish-black fur that seemed to be falling out in patches. They were ugly, and rather deformed-looking," I said.

Steven's expression contorted into one of shock and horror.

"Oh, Gaia!" said Steven in horror, "I've heard tales of unpleasant First Changes, but to run into Spirals on yours…"

"…Spirals?" I said, confused.

"Shorter than saying Black Spiral Dancers: they are long-time foes of our kind. Listen, I'll tell you about them once we are certain of your safety," replied Steven, "We don't have the forces available to fight them right now. We should get out of here before they recover from their wounds".

"Hold on," I said cautiously, "what were you doing out here? It seems a bit too convenient that you were here at the exact right time to find me".

"It's good that your careful," said Steven, "in truth, my allies have been getting reports of unusual activity in this area. It seems you beat me to the punch on that…"

"Uh, you're welcome?" I said

"Anyway we should get out of here. I swear to you, that you shall be safe," said Steven.

"Okay, let's go," I said.

I stood up, and we left the woods to head down into the streets of Portland. We joined the crowds and reached the TriMet station. Steven pulled out a card with odd symbols on its surface, and waved it close to the machine, causing it to spit out a pair of tickets. We then rode the tram down to the Pearl District. As we entered the area, I felt an odd tingle, as if we'd crossed a threshold of some sort. We disembarked in front of a familiar location: Powell's Books.

"Here we are," said Steven, "Follow me".

He led me through the bookstore, and into the coffee shop. We approached the counter, and he led down into the basement, before long, we'd reached what could only be part of the Portland Tunnels. Gathered down here were several others.

"Steve," said one of the others, "you're back! Who have you brought with you?"

"A cub that's just gone through his First Change," said Steven, "He had a bit of a bad experience with it, but he seems to have come out of it alright".

"How bad was it?" asked an older woman.

"Black Spiral Dancers bad," said Steven grimly.

"Truly?" asked the older woman, sounding worried, "I would like to hear from our guest. Would you please tell us what you saw?"

"Um… okay," I said, and recounted what I'd seen in the manor, from my entrance and following the footprints, to what I saw in the basement, and my escape.

"We shall have to send one of our packs to deal with this," said the older woman, "but you should remain here for some time and find your place in the world. I would recommend that you not stray too far from our Caern. Feel free to visit the rest of the neighborhood: we have many allies keeping this area under our protection. For now, though, get some rest… the First Change can take a lot out of you".

I followed Steven to an unused room, and listened as he explained a bit about what was going on.

"Alright cub," he said, "You are a Garou, one of the chosen protectors of the world. We are creatures of two world— equal man and beast, flesh and spirit. That said, there's not specific gene that make us what we are. It someone were to test your blood, it would appear completely human. Our race has existed for many millennia, guarding against the forces of the Wyrm and protecting, sometimes subtly guiding, humanity. Those who you fought tonight were Black Spiral Dancers, and those warty men were a type of Formori".

"What are Formori?" I asked.

"It's a hybrid creature of sorts," said Steven, "It's a human that's been possessed completely by a Bane— a spirit associated with the Wyrm. They are, naturally, both part of the Wyrm's forces. The Black Spirals were once just another tribe of Garou: at that time, they were known as the White Howlers. Their story is a terribly tragic one, one which I lack the time to fully explain at the moment. In short: They attempted to battle the Wyrm in its lair, only to become twisted by its corrupting ways".

Steven paused to take a deep breath, and the continued.

"Our people are at war, a conflict which has raged since before recorded history," said Steven, "However, in recent years, the conflict has intensified, and we need to be ready more than ever. I realize that it's a lot to take in… I remember when I was told the very same information, but right now, the world needs us more than ever. All I can ask of you is the same that was asked of me: will you join with the Garou, your people, to combat the forces of the Wyrm, so that the world may continue to live?"

I thought on what Steven had told me. I'd enjoyed my time as a student and didn't wish to give up my academic career. However, this night's events told me I couldn't ignore this call. I knew I need to do this, and quickly came to a decision.

"I will," I said with conviction, "What must I do?"

"Rest, for now," said Steven, "Tomorrow, your training begins".

I lay down to try to rest, but it was not use. My mind was still spinning from the events of this night.

''_How can this be?' _I thought, _'did my family know about this? What will I do now? Ah well, I guess there's no use worrying myself about it now. Steven and his friends seem like good folks. But I still need to know. I won't be able to sleep until I find out the truth'._

I reached into my backpack, and pulled out my cell phone. I flipped it open, opened my contact list and hit 'Home' the phone rang twice, and then my mom's voice answered.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hi mom, it me," I said.

"What's wrong? Where are you? It's not like you to call so late at night," said mom.

"I'm in Portland. It's, well… how do I say this?" I muttered, "Mom, I'm a werewolf. I changed for the first time tonight. I was lucky enough to run into some others who gave me a place to rest".

"I wondered if this day might come," said mom seriously.

"You knew about this?" I said, surprised.

"I knew it was possible," mom said, "Your grandfather was one too: he a member of the Get of Fenris. I'm Kinfolk: a carry the blood, but lack the power to transform. What did you look like when you changed?"

"In truth, I looked like a statue of Anubis brought to life," I said.

"Ah, you carry your father's bloodline more strongly then," said mom, "Hold… he wants to talk to you".

A couple of seconds later, my dad's voice came over the phone.

"Hey, son!" said dad, "So what I overhead is true? You're a Garou?"

"Yeah, it seems that way," I said.

"Great to hear, son!" said dad.

"Mom said I carry 'your bloodline'," I said, "What does that mean?"

"It means you're of the same Garou tribe as me," said dad, "we're both Silent Striders. Our tribe originates from Egypt, but due to event in the ancient past, we don't live there anymore".

"What happened?" I asked.

"Our tribe was at war with the forces of the ancient and powerful vampire known as Set," said dad, "the Striders of that time managed to fight forces effectively, but by invoking the names of our tribe's greatest heroes, he used a lay a powerful, seemingly eternal curse upon us: we are cursed to never truly find rest… that is, we can't ever claim a location as our 'home' until we are ready to die defending it. As a result, our tribe was scattered to the winds, only meeting occasionally. Even more, Set somehow cut us off from the spirits of our tribe's ancestors".

"Is that why you traveled so much?" I asked.

"Exactly," said dad, "by staying on the move so much, I can cheat my way around the curse".

"Huh, thanks for telling me this, it makes me more comfortable now that I know," I said.

"Tell me about your First Change," said dad, "what kind of trouble did yourself get into?"

"In short," I said, "I snuck into an abandoned mansion, followed strange footprints into the basement, and ended up fight off some... what did he call them? Oh, yeah: Black Spiral Dancers".

"Oh, Gaia! That about as bad as you can get!" said dad, "are you alright?"

"Yeah," I said, "I got out okay and ran into someone called Steven Data-Runner. He led me to Powell's Books to rest".

"Well, that's a relief. I've visited that caern before. I know you'll be safe there," said dad, "I'd tell you to stay out of trouble, but that's not exactly an option for you anymore, is it? All I can ask you to do is be careful".

"Alright, dad I'll do my best," I said.

"Good to hear it. Good night son," dad said.

"Good night dad, good night mom," I said.

With that, I hung up the phone and lay back down, my mind much more settled now that I knew the truth of my life. I fell into a fitful, but still restful slumber. I didn't know what tomorrow would hold, but I knew this: nothing would ever truly be the same again.

* * *

Explanations

The next morning, I saw that someone had laid out some clean, intact clothes for me. I dressed, and headed out to see what this new day would hold. I soon ran into Steven.

"Hey, sleep well?" he asked.

"I guess," I said.

"We've got a fair bit to do today: you need to learn the full extent of what you're capable of," said Steven, "First, allow me to explain a bit more about the world you've just entered. Our creation myths involve three powerful entities, known as the Triat: the Wyld, the Weaver, and the Wyrm. Our legends say that in the prehistoric past, these three entities worked together to create the world. The Wyld is a force of Chaos, and created Matter, but it was formless and ephemeral. The Weaver is a force of order and logic, and created the Pattern Web, but it was flat and static. The Wyld and the Weaver discovered that by combining their creations, Matter had form and the Pattern Web had definition. The Wyrm comes into the equation as a force of Balance, keeping the Wyld and Weaver in check. It is unknown to us exactly what transpired, but the Weaver lost its path, and began expanding the Patten Web faster than the Wyrm destroy it. As a result, the Wyrm itself became bound within the Pattern Web, and thrashed about, falling into insanity. What emerged from this event was that the Wyrm became a force of _corruption_. As I mentioned last night, The Black Spiral Dancers are part of the Wyrm's forces".

"So… let me get this straight," I said, "The Wyrm is a threat, the Weaver is a threat, but what about the Wyld?"

"You can't rely on it," said Steven, "the Wyld is a force of chaotic creation, after all. It's too random to fully trust in. Next, you should learn about the different Tribes of the Garou. Almost all Garou belong to one tribe of another. For example most of those in this caern, myself included, are Glass Walkers. We've got books here which can tell you all about 13 of the currently active tribes in the world.

"I see, I called my family last night, my dad told me that I'm apparently a Silent Strider" I said, "I'd like learn about my own 'people' first".

"I figured as much, based off what I saw of your Crinos form— that's the form you took last night, by the way. The main indicator for me was that your face was more jackal-like. I'll go get the books for you".

Steven hurried off and returned about 10 minutes later with a stack of book in his arms. I took the books from him and sat down at a nearby table to read. The books restated many of the details I'd already learned, but added several more details, such as how my tribe had a peace accord with the Mokolé, the Werecrocodiles, so that they could live side by side without repeating the atrocities of the past. The books also elaborated to the events leading up to the curse being placed.

'_That explains the images I saw during my First Change' _I thought, _'I was experiencing the curse coming into play!'_

Once I was done with my research for now, I went to speak to Steven again.

"Now then," continued Steven, "on to the next thing: we'll work on Reaching now".

"Reaching?" I asked.

"Yes," said Steven, "it is also known as 'Stepping Sideways'. Reaching is how we can reach the Umbra… the spirit world".

"Alright," I said, "What do I do?"

"Follow me," said Steven.

He led me over to a storage room, where an old, claw footed mirror was sitting in the corner.

"First, you must learn about the Gauntlet, the barrier between the worlds. Calm your mind, stare deep into the mirror" said Steven, "and truly _see _the barrier".

I tried as he suggested, and saw what resembled the strands of a spider's web extending in all directions within the reflection, but we were in a less dense area.

"What are these… strands?" I asked.

"What you see is part of the Pattern Web," said Steven, "The Patten Web supports reality, but in its modern state, it also blocks the way to the Umbra. What we need to do is… reach through, pass between strands. To do so, you must allow you Gnosis, your spiritual energy, to flow around you. As you do, concentrate on moving between the strands. If you do it right, I'll see you on the other side".

The next moment, he vanished. I thought on his words, and concentrated on the gaps between the strands. As I watched, the strands shifted, but sufficient gaps remained.

'_Well, it's now or never,_' I thought.

I stared at the largest gap, and concentrated on passing through it. Suddenly, the world around me jumped away, and I jolted back reality somewhere else. Standing nearby was Steven.

"Good job, not everyone can get it right immediately" said Steven, "I admit, I got stuck my first time Stepping Sideways. Anyway, welcome to the Umbra".

I examined our surroundings: it looked much like a shadowy double of the place we'd left behind. One notable difference was the pillar of energy a short distance away, as well as mechanical spiders scuttling around to the strands of the Pattern Web. Above us, I could see what I could only describe as bridges. In the direction of the Willamette River, in what I knew was a newer section of the city, I saw that the webs were denser. On another part of the riverfront, in an area that was corresponded to an old industrial complex, an area of old, decaying factories and warehouses, I could see that on this side it was a festering pit of toxic looking pools and gnarled, dead trees. As well, there was a blood-red star hanging in the skies. I couldn't help getting an ominous feeling from it.

"We are currently in the Penumbra, the spirit world equivalent of Earth," said Steven, "From here, you can access the Near Umbra, usually by finding a proper path. The Near Umbra contains many realms, each with its own rules visitors must abide by. Further away from here, the Deep Umbra can be found, but most have little reason to travel that far. Now though, let's step back to the physical world".

I nodded, and we Stepped back to Earth. The day had only begun, and already I had learned so much. Steven led me out of the tunnels, and up to the coffee shop. We each grabbed a cup, and sat down to talk. I watched the cars and trams roll by outside, thinking about how everything seemed strange now.

"I know this is a bit overwhelming," said Steven, "but remember: you are not alone, even if your Tribe doesn't gather very often, you can usually find place to stay amongst the other tribes, even if only for a short time".

"That's good to know," I said, I have to wonder though: what about my old life? I don't think I could bear simply dropping out of school".

"I wouldn't worry about that," said Steven, "Many Garou can maintain a semblance normal lives as well, just look around you: this store is mostly run by Garou and Kinfolk. To those who don't know about us, they simply see an ordinary bookstore. In your case, you might have to take some time off from you education to get used to being who you truly are. Beyond that... well, Corvallis has a good-sized Caern in the McDonald forest as well, so that's not an issue. You'll need a proper mentor for your training period, another Strider to aid you. I can make some calls, but I've got some ideas who to get".

"Thank you," I said, "I'm sure I've got much to learn about… I hope I can handle it"

"I'm sure you can do it," said Steven, "Gaia knows, we need all the help we can get, especially in these trying times".

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"When we were in the Umbra, I'm certain you noticed the red star in the sky," said Steven, "that is Anthelios, also sometimes known as the Eye of the Wyrm. Some say it is a sign that the Apocalypse is coming. What this means is that we have to prepare: not just the Garou, but all the Changing Breeds".

"Other Changing Breeds?" I said, surprised, "I think I read something about that".

"Oh yes," said Steven, "there's the Bastet, the Corax, The Mokolé, The Nuwisha… the list goes on. Just like the Garou are Gaia's defenders, each one has a particular role in the world. For example, the Mokolé are said to be the keepers of Memory: they are capable of remembering things from thousands if not _millions_ of years ago. Truth is, if you want to learn about the other Changing Breeds, is best to do your own research, and thereby from you own opinions".

"I see," I said, "Is there anything else we need to do?"

"We should discover what Gifts you possess," said Steven, "I'm guess you're Homid, Human born, right?

I nodded in ascent.

"Do you ever find yourself capable of being usually persuasive at time?" asked Steven

"Actually… yes," I said, "I do!"

"Well, that's one of you inborn Gifts, Persuasion, shining through," said Steven, "Now then what Lunar Phase were you born under?"

'_What kind of question is that?'_ I thought, _'except… in the vision just before the Change… I saw a Crescent Moon'._

"Umm… I remember the Crescent Moon," I said.

"Ah! You're a Theurge then. That means you're a seer or mystic," said Steven, "have you ever been able to… hear things that aren't there? Almost like something beyond your sight was whispering to you?"

I wasn't sure how to properly answer that. Would he think me mad if I said yes? I do remember occasionally hearing things, but I was used to ignoring them as figments of my imagination.

"You don't have to answer, your expression says it all," said Steven, "don't worry, you're not crazy: you just have the Gift of Spirit Speech. You can communicate directly with spirits, as they can with you. As for you third and final inborn Gift, the one from your Silent Strider heritage, I already know what it is, as you used last night. You possess the Gift Speed of Thought. Simply put, it allows you to run twice as fast as you could normally".

"Cool," said, "Anything else?"

"One more thing," said Steven, "You need a name to fit you within our nation. While you may keep your old name, you also need a title befitting you".

"Hmm, how about Silver Jackal? Seems fitting," I said, sipping my coffee, "What's next?"

"Well, we've talked for long enough," said Steven, "Let's head back down: you need to learn to fight in _all five_ of your forms, as well as etiquette pertaining to _when _you should use your other forms".

We returned to the tunnels below, and into a chamber which had been set up as a gym and sparring ring. Standing over in the corner was a strong-looking woman. When she saw me, she grinned slightly.

"Ah, you must be the new arrival," she said, "I am Rage-of-the-Future, Ahroun of the Glass Walkers. You are the new cub that arrived last night".

It wasn't a question.

"You are here to learn to art of Combat, and utilizing you forms to their fullest extent," said Rage, "let us begin. All Garou have five forms: Homid, Glabro, Crinos, Hispo, and Lupis. You can change between these forms at will, but the Glabro and Hispo forms require more effort to assume. We are both currently in our Homid forms, and in this from, we are indistinguishable from normal humans. The Glabro form is the near-human form: in this from we look more primal, but can still pass for human… from a distance. The Crinos form you've already experienced: it was what you assumed during your First Change. This is also the form most associate with the werewolf, and some affectionately refer to it as the Nine-foot-tall snarling death-beast. The Hispo form is the near-wolf form. In appearance, it resembles a prehistoric dire wolf. Lastly, there is the Lupis form: in this form, you are indistinguishable from an ordinary wolf".

"Alright," I said going my best to absorb tthis information.

"Now, you may fight in any of these forms, and each has its advantages, but you are strongest in your Crinos form," said Rage, "For now, let's focus on basic combat".

With that, she led me into the ring, and we took our positions. First, we practiced simple combat, mixing various styles. I noticed that Rage was holding back, but that was understandable, as she was more experienced than me. Soon enough, we paused to ready for the next stage.

"Not bad," said Rage, "now, let's try Crinos form combat. Be aware: most cannot talk very well in Crinos form… Usually, we're limited to rather terse statements. We will stop when one of us pins the other, or upon first blood. When you are ready to fight, change forms".

I nodded, and focused on transforming. I felt the same primal power from last night enrobe me, and the next moment it was done. Rage changed form as well and the battle was on. She made the first move, snarling as he charged me. I jumped to the side, effectively dodging her. I attempted to strike her with my claws, but she parried my strike efficiently. I broke away, and leapt back preparing for another attempt. This time, I leapt at Rage, claws forwards ready to rake her with my claws as I passed. Rage, ducked under my strike, then grabbed me as I passed over her head. She then rolled, dropping me to the ground and pinning me.

"Yield," she growled.

"I yield," I replied.

Rage-of-the-Future let me up, then transformed back to her Homid form, and I did the same.

"Not bad," she said, "you show promise. You just need more experience. Now then, on to the next part of your training…"

For the next few weeks, my life proceeded in this manner. In the mornings, I studied basic knowledge on the Garou: our strengths and weaknesses (Such as silver), as well as including our history, both the good (Victories in batting the Wyrm) and the bad (Like the atrocities of War of Rage), in the afternoons I had Combat lessons including armed combat with steel practice Klaves, and in the evenings I trained under the Cairn's Theurge in mystic studies. During this time, I was happy to learn more about what I was, but I couldn't shake the nagging feeling at the back of my mind, making me uncomfortable with a staying here. It was near the end of the month when the Caern received another visitor. It was a man, with a tattoo on his left shoulder: one of three curved lines, intersecting in their center and at their right end. As well, a shorter line had been drawn above this pattern. I recognized the symbol from my studies: It was the symbol of the Silent Striders, my people. Apparently, the ones I was staying with knew him.

"Meridian," said Steven, "Glad you could make it".

"I heard you have one of my tribe under your care," said Meridian, "I wish to meet him".

"I'm right here," I said, "I call myself Silver Jackal".

"Oh?" said Meridian, "Well, I hope you can keep up. We've got a long road ahead of us, and I don't want some cub holding me back"

I almost replied to that with a sharp retort, but then I saw the laughter in his eyes.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said, "I am Stalks-the-Meridian, Ragabash of the Silent Striders. My friends here contacted me to tell me you've only recently gone through your First Change, and are in need of guidance for one of you own tribe. I know this seems sudden, but would you like to travel with me for a time?"

I thought about this, I'd been happy here, due to what I knew was the curse, I felt uncomfortable at the same time, almost like the road was calling to me.

"I… I think would," I said, "I've felt welcome amongst the people of this Caern, but something's been… bothering me from the back of my mind, making me uncomfortable with staying".

"Ah yes, the accursed wanderlust," said Meridian, "All Striders feel it: It's part of our curse: we can't stay in one place for too long unless we're bound into a pack, or ready to die for a place… it's the main reason we don't really have any Caerns of our own".

"Ah… in that case, I think we should get going as soon as we're ready," I said.

"Good to know," said Meridian, "I'm ready to leave whenever you are".

I nodded in reply, collected my backpack, and shoved my belongings inside. I returned to where Meridian was waiting said my goodbyes to the people of the Caerns, and together we set off… on a journey to parts unknown.

* * *

World Tour

For the next year or so, Meridian and I travelled the world, seeing what we could see. First, we travelled north, seeing the lands of the Wendigo, and then we crossed the ocean to Russia, and saw the lands of the Silver Talons. From there, we ventured south into Asia, and into the lands of the Hengeyokai, the multi-racial beast courts of the Far East. It was here I saw my first Mokolé (that I know of), it was of the Zhong Lung 'Stream', as they called it. They were quite intriguing, and the depth of their knowledge was _beyond_ impressive. The sights of this land showed me that the different Changing Breeds could work together, despite what I had learned about the absolute _atrocities_ of the War of Rage. After this, we continued west, passing through India and the Middle East on our way to Europe.

Here, we passed through the lands of the Black Furies, and enjoyed our time wandering amongst the ancient temples. Our next destination was Africa, where our tribe, the Silent Striders, originated. Here, Meridian decided to take me on an important journey: a trip through our tribe's (former) ancestral homeland of Egypt. Before we crossed the border, he warned me of the rigors that journey would include.

"The lands of Egypt are where our tribe originates from, but we are not truly welcome there, not since the ancient vampire lord Set laid his curse upon us," said Meridian, "we cannot find rest while in the lands of Egypt… we shall have to cross it without stopping. For ease of rapid travel, we shall travel in Lupis form. I hope you can keep up".

I grinned slightly and changed to Lupis form, and watched as Meridian did the same. Meridian took off into a run, and I followed behind. As soon as we cross the border, I felt an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind, but by concentrating on the path before me, I could put this feeling aside. On and on we ran, past ancient cities reclaimed by the desert and modern ones fighting against the same fate. Every few hours, we slowed our pace to avoid overexerting ourselves. Onwards into the night we ran, the pale light of the full moon guiding our path. Eventually, after quite a bit of time spent travelling in this manner, we left Egypt behind, allowing us to finally rest. After resting up enough, we ventured south into the heart of Africa.

Further on in this leg of our journey, we were passing through the depths of the jungle of a seemingly disused but passable route when I noticed something didn't feel right… we were being watched.

"Meridian," I said, "I don't think we're alone".

"You are correct," said Meridian, "they are from one of the local tribes… they live somewhere nearby, and are likely making sure we aren't harming the land. Let's keep going, there's a campsite up ahead".

That night, our observers were still there, and I noticed something else as well: they weren't exactly… human. I focused my senses, and checked the scent of those around us. They smelled… vaguely scaly? I thought back to our journey across Asia, and realized that they smelled like Mokolé, but more muted… likely kinfolk. Besides this, the night was quiet. Our journey continued to take us south, eventually reaching Cape Town.

There, we caught a ship headed for South America. It was on this leg, while passing through the Amazon, I got a taste of real combat. We were stalking through the depths of the jungle when we heard the sounds of machinery ahead. Meridian and I crept forwards, peered into a break in the jungle: the area had been clear cut, and the cause was still present: logging machines bearing the logo of the Pentex Corporation, a conglomerate with many, many division, all of which, I'd learned, helped extend the reach to the Wyrm. There was a group of workers tending to the machines, and all of them stank of taint… some stronger than others. We decided to stop them.

We stepped out of the concealment of the trees, and into view. The workers immediately took notice of us, and drew their guns and machetes. Meridian gave me a subtle nod, and caught his meaning easily: it was time to show them our power. I allowed my primal power to flow through me, channeling it to the forefront. I felt the change undertake me, and I shifted to my Crinos form. Several of the workers went wide-eyed in terror as the Delirium overtook them, and then they fled, leaving their more strong-willed companions behind. Some workers suddenly looked less human, becoming monstrous, while the remaining two shifted to Crinos form themselves. It seemed we were facing a mix of Formori and Black Spiral Dancers.

The Black Spirals made the first move, charging at us with claws coated in a nasty-looking slime. We dodged to the side, and countered by slashing the across their backs. We avoided biting them… we didn't want their toxic aftertaste in our mouths. Soon enough, they were incapacitated, letting us deal with the Formori. The one nearest to me raised its pistol and fired. The bullet struck me in the arm, but hurt abnormally… they we armed with silver! I struck out, and knocked its gun away. The rest of the Formori were wielding only normal machetes, so they were less of a threat. Soon enough we'd taken them out, as well as breaking their machines.

Once our task was done, we could hear others approaching. We both shifted to Hispo form and slunk back into the dense jungle, leaving our handiwork for others to find and not shifting back until we were far from that place. Our journey from there took us further north, and eventually we arrived at the U.S. Border. We passed the checkpoint with little difficultly, and made our way north to an Uktena Caern somewhere in the desert east of San Diego. The locals were welcoming, offering us a place to rest in exchange for tales from the road. It was here that Meridian called for attention of both the Garou present and the spirits of the Caern, before asking me to kneel before him.

"I speak tonight for the young cub under my care," said Meridian, "he has travelled the paths of the worlds at my side, and has shown the spirit of our mutual tribe. He stood before and fought the servants of the Wyrm during his First Change, and lived to fight another day. He ran at my side across _Khem_, the ancient homeland of our tribe. In the depths of the jungle, he fought as bravely and as wisely as any Garou could hope to be. He is a worthy member of our tribe, one I am glad to have had to opportunity to travel alongside. Rise now Silver Jackal, Cliath Homid Theurge of the Silent Striders!"

He then took a piece of silver which had been heated over a fire, and branded the symbol of our tribe on my left shoulder. It stung briefly, but then the pain faded, and I was left with a feeling of joy… I now truly had others to fall back on it time of strife, albeit a group scattered to the winds, but a group nonetheless. I lay down to rest, readying myself for what our next adventure would be. The next morning, though, Meridian was nowhere to be found. However, there was a note and a small parcel at my bedside. I opened the note, and read it.

'_My friend, I apologize for leaving so suddenly but the road was calling to me, and you have completed your apprenticeship. As you are now a full-fledged member of our tribe, you are ready to walk your own path. I truly hope we can meet again someday. I have left a final gift for you: an item I call the Pathfinder Compass. With it attuned to you, you can always find a safe path in times of great need. Even better, once attuned, it will only work of you. I wish you safe travels, wherever the road takes you. Signed, Runner-of-the-Meridian'. _

I headed outside to find the Garou of the local Sept tending to their Caern. The noticed my approach.

"Ah, our one of our visiting Striders," said an Elder, "where is your companion?"

"He had urgent business to attend to," I said, "It seems that I will have to forge my own trail for now. Thank you for your hospitality, Elder. I wish I could stay longer, but… the road is calling me".

"I understand," said the Elder, "your tribe carries a heavy burden, but you bear this fate admirably. Safe travels to you".

With that, I set out down the road, seeing wherever my path would lead me next.

* * *

A/N: And there it is! I hope you enjoyed my character's origin story!


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